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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Knicks point guard Kemba Walker was feeling his oats and turning back the clock in the first half Friday night in his old stomping grounds.
The Charlotte franchise leader in scoring was raining 3-pointers and, for the first time this season, getting to the rim with ease.
Yet his most daring play came when he inbounded the ball off Hornets center Mason Plumlee’s back in the first period. Walker grabbed the carom and laid it up. While the ball bounced off, center Mitchell Robinson was there for the throw-down dunk. It showed how much Walker felt at home.
Walker notched 20 points by halftime in 17 minutes, shooting 7-for-12, before the night went south. He scored just six points in the second half and never regained that electricity, finishing with 26 points, shooting 9-for-19 from the field (4-for-9 from 3-point land). He also had two turnovers and was a team-worst minus-23.
“I was just taking what the game gave me,” Walker said of his early hot hand. “I was open on the shots I took. And they were just falling early on.”
Walker blasted out of the gate, swishing two straight 3-pointers and sinking a floater in the opening two minutes. Walker had 11 points in the first 4:22 after not notching double figures in the past four outings.
Walker had 20 points by halftime after scoring 19 in his last four games combined.
And it was all for naught as he entered the interview room barely recognizable in a black mask and a purple hat pulled low.
The Knicks entered the night struggling to defend the 3-point line, having given up the most in the NBA.
Coach Tom Thibodeau said he felt they improved in that department, though the Hornets started draining them in the second half after going 2-for-17 in the first half. Charlotte finished at 10-for-26 (27.8 percent).
Thibodeau said beforehand he’s more concerned with overall field-goal percentage since the Knicks scheme is to pack the paint.
Center Mitchell Robinson appeared to hurt his ankle in the first half and didn’t seem to go at full throttle.
Robinson had his ankle retaped during the game as he left for the locker room. Thibodeau was told only he was good to go back in, and Mitchell played 23 minutes (11 points, six rebounds, one block).
Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, the 2021 Rookie of the Year, didn’t shoot well (4-for-13), but notched 12 points with nine assists and five steals.
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